The Eighth Army of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...

( Turkish: ''Sekizinci Ordu'') was one of the

field armies A field army (or numbered army or simply army) is a military formation in many armed forces, composed of two or more corps and may be subordinate to an army group. Likewise, air armies are equivalent formation within some air forces, and wit ...

of the

Ottoman Army The military of the Ottoman Empire ( tr, Osmanlı İmparatorluğu'nun silahlı kuvvetleri) was the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire. Army The military of the Ottoman Empire can be divided in five main periods. The foundation era covers the ...

. It was established during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

World War I

In June 1917, Enver Paşa activated the

Yildirim Army Group The Yildirim Army Group or Thunderbolt Army Group of the Ottoman Empire ( Turkish: ''Yıldırım Ordular Grubu'') or Army Group F (German: ''Heeresgruppe F'') was an Army Group of the Ottoman Army during World War I. While being an Ottoman unit, ...

(also known as Thunderbolt Army Group) commanded by the

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General

Erich von Falkenhayn General Erich Georg Sebastian Anton von Falkenhayn (11 September 1861 – 8 April 1922) was the second Chief of the German General Staff of the First World War from September 1914 until 29 August 1916. He was removed on 29 August 1916 after ...

, and reinforced it with surplus Ottoman units transferred from

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, and

Thrace Thrace (; el, Θράκη, Thráki; bg, Тракия, Trakiya; tr, Trakya) or Thrake is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe, now split among Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, which is bounded by the Balkan Mountains to ...

.Erickson ''Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War'', Greenwood Press, 2001, , pp. 159, 171, ''Ottoman Army Effectiveness in World War I: a comparative study'' Routledge Press, 2007, p. 115 Following the formation of the Yildirim Army Group substantial forces were deployed to Syria and Palestine, where they continued to hold the Fourth Army defenses. Already in Palestine were the 3rd, 7th, 16th, and 54th Infantry Divisions while the 26th 27th, and 53rd Infantry Divisions arrived during the summer. The 3rd, 7th 16th, and 26th Infantry Divisions had fought in the Gallipoli campaign and the 3rd Cavalry Division had fought in the Caucasian Campaigns.Erickson ''Ottoman Army Effectiveness in World War I: a comparative study'' Routledge Press, 2007, p. 102Erickson ''Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War'', Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 172 On 2 October 1917, he activated the new Eighth Army, commanded by Kress von Kressenstein, and deployed it along with the Seventh Army, commanded by

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to the Yildirim Army Group.Edward J. Erickson, ''Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War'', Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 171. Seven infantry division and one cavalry division already serving in the region, formed the recently activated Ottoman Eighth Army. They were the 3rd, 7th, 16th, 26th, 27th, 53rd and 54th Infantry Divisions and the 3rd Cavalry Division.

Order of Battle, January 1918

In January 1918, the army was structured as follows:Edward J. Erickson, ''Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War'', Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 181. *Eighth Army, ( Ferik

Cevat Pasha Cevat is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Cevat Rıfat Atilhan (1892–1967), Turkish career officer, antisemitic writer, initiator of the 1934 Thrace pogroms * Cevat Çobanlı (1870–1938), military commander of the Ottoman ...

) ** XXII Corps *** 3rd Division, 7th Division, 20th Division ** 16th Division ** 54th Division ** 2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division

Order of Battle, September 1918

In September 1918, the army was structured as follows:Edward J. Erickson, ''Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War'', Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 197. *Eighth Army, (Ferik Cevat Pasha) **XXII Corps ***7th Division, 20th Division **Left Wing Group (Colonel

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) ***16th Division, 19th Division *** German Asia Corps **2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division

After Mudros

Order of Battle, November 1918

In November 1918, the army was structured as follows:Edward J. Erickson, ''Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War'', Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 202. *Eighth Army, (

Smyrna Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prom ...

) ** XVII Corps ***58th Division ** XXI Corps ***57th Division

Sources

External links

{{Ottoman Forces during World War I Field armies of the Ottoman Empire Military units and formations of the Ottoman Empire in World War I History of Damascus